The Best Foods To Help Ease Menstrual Cramps

The pain during the monthly period is commonly due to the contractions of the uterus and partly arises while the abdominal muscles remove the menstrual fluid from the body. Unfortunately, there is no perfect cure for cramps but there are simple measures you can take to lessen the pain. One way is to watch what you eat, and below you will discover the best and worst foods during this time:

The Best Foods

There is a safe way to deal with cramps, and it involves eating the right foods. You can start with the diet routine even a week before the periods. The best foods can be summed as follows and work collectively with other methods to make your time easy:

1. Water

Water is important for the whole body and drinking enough can solve many of your problems. Hydration is the cure for cramps, acne and bloating. It is critical for helping the body to get rid of liquids.

2. Calcium

Calcium can help ease the pain during periods but you should avoid dairy products while at it. There are effective sources such as sesame seeds, almonds and green leafy vegetables. You can also get this from supplements of which you can consult a doctor about.

3. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate serves two purposes: it helps with the pain and serves your cravings. The important thing is to go for healthy options that will assist the muscles to relax and keep you happy. What you want to avoid is the fat and dairy in some of them.

4. Celery

This vegetable is crispy, light and equally full of water. It has no calories, and is medicine for bloating and overall health. You may have to spread it with peanut butter or consume with other foods to help with the taste.

The foods above are just some of the healthy choices but that is not all there is to the list. The trick is to go for foods rich in vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acid, fiber, calcium and magnesium. Others on the list include: pineapple, hummus, bananas, salmon and green leafy vegetable.

Foods to Avoid

Moreover, avoiding the foods below will help you deal with the fatigue, mood swings, bloating, and constipation that comes with periods. You should particularly try not to eat the following food just before and during your menses:

1. Caffeinated foods and beverages

Caffeine is known to enhance the symptoms during menstruation. You should avoid foods and beverages with caffeine such as tea, chocolate, coffee and other soft drinks.

2. Processed foods especially those with a lot of salt and sugar

A lot of salt and sugar intake causes bloating and puffiness, and this is chiefly present in processed foods.

3. Foods that have a lot of fat

These kinds of foods largely influence the hormonal activity in the body which in turn causes bloating and breast tenderness. Diets that are low in fat however reduce excess estrogen levels. You should therefore avoid fatty beef, sausages, whole-milk dairy products and burgers.